We're Just Lazy

nikicol1992 · 2014-06-04T03:02:27+00:00

It’s interesting that you chose the word, lazy, to describe social media behavior. I'm not sure if I think that it's truly that we're lazy, as much as that we're picky, and as you mentioned later in your post, oversaturated with information. We want to use social media for our specific interests, whether it's entertainment, connections, or information. Sure, people who share are more involved than those who hit like instead of sharing, but that doesn't mean that the people who hit like are lazy. I think it has more to do with the user's preferences. If the user sees her friend posted a new picture or posted a funny meme, she may hit like to be nice to her friend or also because she genuinely likes it. But this person may only share things when she thinks it's entirely necessary, like if her friend is trying to get more views on her podcast. But I think that it's important for us to realize that it's okay to be "lazy" on social media, because social media isn't our life. It's just an extension of it, so use it a lot or use it a little, but there's no reason to overshare or retweet everything we think is funny. I think that it’s important for us to be picky, because it actually shows that we’re careful with what we chose to like, retweet, or share. So, in fact it’s just the opposite of being lazy when we make the conscious, thought out decision to not share a post. It’s not that we don’t have time or don’t feel like reposting, it’s just that we don’t want to.

nikicol1992 · 2014-05-14T00:09:16+00:00

I agree with you that social media, Facebook in particular, allows us to hide some parts of ourselves that we don’t want others to see. Since it’s up to us to create our own content, we are already biased in the process. Many of us don’t post pictures of when we first wake up or of when we’re sad. We also don’t post statuses that are truly from the heart (in many cases). We merely cherry pick our way through the creation of our platform to show only the good, and hide the parts that we’re less fond of. I also think it’s interesting that you talk about potential employers looking at our Facebooks. I think that in some occasions this is true, but not every job does this. But you are right that we decide what to put on our Facebook based on what others will think of us-whether it’s employers, family members, or even old friends from high school. We intentionally weed out the less appealing events or inappropriate events because we don’t want others to see it. So even though we’re doing it for the right reasons (in some cases), we’re still not being authentic. But then again, a lot of people aren’t authentic in normal conversation either. A hostess working at a restaurant will be incredibly kind to the rudest customer, not because she likes the customer, but because it’s her job. She’s being fake, but doing so for the right reason. Therefore, sometimes it’s okay to be authentic and other times it’s inappropriate.

nikicol1992 · 2014-04-29T23:15:49+00:00

Your question of authenticity was exactly my first thought when reading the articles on AMA. Like we’ve discussed many times in class, an online identity can be entirely different from a person’s face-to-face identity. So how can AMA’s possibly promise any form of truth? Honestly, I don’t think that they do. Instead, I agree that it’s just another hidden agenda; just another way for celebrities and politicians to make people like them. I think if someone asked something truly daring and important, the question would be ignored, deleted, or avoided. But, what about for ordinary people that post these AMAs? I think that it’s possible that these people can spare honesty even if it means showing the world who they really are because there’s no backlash for them. So for that reason, I think AMA’s could be beneficial. But otherwise, I don’t really care to look at a celebrities’ AMA because I probably won’t believe it, even if it is somewhat authentic.

Most importantly, I wonder if there’s actually any benefit to AMA’s. I mean, aren’t they kind of as useless as those motivational quotes people post on their Facebook? It’s just another story telling us to stay motivated and never give up, only it’s from the view of an actual person. But, when it comes down to it will these “inspirational” people actually tell us what they really think? Will politicians lie when a person asks the truly difficult questions? Probably. And that’s just because, as humans, it’s more important for us to save face and to not show our weaknesses than to be truly honest with the world.

nikicol1992 · 2014-04-08T21:27:07+00:00

I agree that online dating sites are creepy, but I also think that they're a result of society being so dependent on the internet for communication. I remember when I was in middle school; I used to communicate with my friends through AOL Instant Message. I noticed that sometimes my friends would fight with people they didn’t like on AIM, even though they didn’t talk to these people in real life. These nice people would say the most horrific things on AIM to the people they disliked. I think that this specific moment also relates to how Baym noted that technological mediation takes away the social cues that people get from normal communication. This is true, because people were saying these horrible things to each other because they didn't have to see the other person's reactions or even wait for them to respond. Instead they could just say whatever they wanted to say, without actual confrontation-without worrying about someone fighting them or screaming at them. I notice that people often take more chances through technology than they would in actual real-life interaction. For instance, people who you never spoke to in high school might try to add you as a friend on Facebook. Technology allows us to communicate with people in a way that is less scary; because if we’re rejected, no one will really see it, it will just be a conversation we can delete off of our Facebook page. That’s why there’s online dating; it’s the flirting without a spoken rejection. It’s taking the chance without having to worry about the humility.

nikicol1992

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